Southern California -- this just in

Man sentenced to jail in snare drum attack on LAPD officer

July 3, 2012 | 3:46
pm

A 23-year-old man arrested in connection with a snare drum attack that injured a Los Angeles police officer during a May Day protest will spend one year in jail, officials said.

Brian Mendoza, 23, pleaded no contest to a felony battery count in court on Monday, along with a special allegation that he had a prior prison term, Deputy L.A. County Dist. Atty. Phillip Stirling said. In addition to jail time, Mendoza will get five years' probation.

The incident was captured on video and uploaded to YouTube under the title "Cheap Shot on Cop." The footage shows a man dressed in a black T-shirt and hoodie approaching the helmeted female officer, circling around behind her and striking her on the back of the head with the drum before running away.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck called the incident a "blindside" attack on the officer, who suffered a partial concussion and was hospitalized.

Mendoza, a transient known to frequent skid row, was arrested May 2 after a fellow protester contacted police, sources told The Times. At the time, he was on probation for a previous attack on a peace officer in El Monte.